A straightforward chemoenzymatic synthesis of rasagiline mesylate has been developed. The key steps for the introduction of chirality involved kinetic enzymatic resolution with lipases via acetylation of racindanol and an inversion configuration Mitsunobu reaction of the produced (S)-indanol. Immobilized lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus proved to be a robust biocatalyst in the kinetic resolution, leading to (S)-indanol with high selectivity (e.e.> 99%, E> 200) in just 15 min, at 35 degrees C, in hexane, being reused for ten-times without significant loss of the activity and selectivity. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.